Adjustable candle socket



July 24, 1928.

- H. HUBBELL ADJUSTABLE CANDLE SOCKET Filed July 15, 1925 7 an E w A i A,

Patented July 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,678,144 PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY HUBBELL, F BRIDGEPOBT, CONNECTICUT; LOUIE E. HUBBELL EXECUTRIX OF SAID HARVEY HUBBELL, DECEASED.

ADJUSTABLE CANDLE SOCKET.

Application filed July 13, 1925. Serial No. 43,142.

This invention relates to electric light fixtures of the type known as candle sockets and has for an object to provide an improved structure for this type of fixture which may be adjusted for different heights of jackets and thus the same construction may be used for jackets of different lengths.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, similar reference characters being employed throughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fixture complete with the lamp in position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the fixture with the jacket removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section through the fixture substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the fixture adjusted for a shorter jacket.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing .5 the fixture as used with a switch socket.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the fixture showing a slightly difier-' ent construction of the means for mounting it on the pipe terminal, and

Fig. 7 is'a top plan view of the fixture.

The fixture in its broad aspect comprisesan upright rod or barforming a support for the lamp socket at its upper end, and mounted on means at its lowerend for securing the bar to a pipe terminal, the socket, bar and support being enclosed within a tubular jacket of paper or any other suitable material, and the bar is scored or reduced in cross sectional area at spaced points intermediate its length so that portions of the bar may be broken off if desired to shorten it for use with shorter lengths of jackets.

The numeral 10 indicates the free end of a pipe terminal such as that provided with a wall fixture and through which the conducting wires 11 are carried. This terminal has a flange 12 on which a cupped member 13 rests, and the terminal is threaded as shown at 14, for convenient attachment of the lamp socket supporting means. In the present construction this comprises a member '15 threaded for engagement with the pipe. It may be of various constructions but is referably formed of sheet metal, substantlally as shown, with an annular body portion 16 bent to substantially a U-shape in cross section to give 1t greater strength and rigidity.

At one side and laterally of the pipe terduce its cross sectional area and form breaking points where, if desired, portions of the bar may be broken oil to shorten the bar. Although I have. shown. the bar reduced in cross sections at these points by scoring or cutting it is obvious the cross sectional area may be reduced in other ways to form these breaking points. a

At the upper end of the bar is a lamp socket comprising a screw shell terminal 21 to receive the usual threaded mounting on a lamp bulb, and this shell is mounted on an insulating block 22, which block also carries a binding screw 23 to which the shell is connected through the bridge member 24 and mounting rivets 25. The central contact is shown at 26 connected to abinding screw 27, and the conductors 11 are connected to these binding screws in the usual manner. The

- block 22 carrying the socket is mounted on a support 28. This support comprises a horizontal portion 29 on which the block is mounted and an upright portion 30 connected to the bar 18. It will be noted that this upright portion is substantially U- shaped in cross'section so as to embrace one side and the opposite edges of the bar, and the sides 31 extend along a portion of the horizontal portion 29 to give a strong and rigid connection between the horizontal and upright portions. Mounted in the sides 31 is a pair of set screws 23, and they are preferably provided with tapered ends 33 to seat in the transverse cuts 20 to rigidly secure the socket to the bar. Although it is preferred to have these set screws seat in the cuts, they will securely clamp the support to the bar at points intermediate the cuts. 1n the form shown in Figs. 2 to 5, the lower end of the bar 18 is bent laterally over the end of the pipe as shown at 34, and carries a set screw 35 which may be clamped against the end of the pipe and prevent the member 15 loosening on the pipe. In the form shown in Fig. 6 there is a similar lug 36 on the member 15 on the opposite side from the bar 18, which carries the set screw 35 to engage the end of the pipe. In this construction the set screw is more accessible than in the first arrangement but performs the same function.

In practice the tubular jacket 37 which encloses the members of the socket may be secured on the market in various lengths to give different effects, and these lengths are standard. Therefore, the scoring 20 are so positioned on the bar 18 that by breaking the bar off at a given scoring and securing the socket shell to the bar with the set screw 32 in the next lower cut 20, the lamp socket shell 21 will be positioned at the desired relation to the upper end of the jacket. Therefore, in setting up these fixtures the workman merely breaks olf the bar at the proper cut 20, which he may easily do with a pair of pliers, and then mounts the socket shell and the support by sliding it on the upper end of the portion of the bar remaining and setting the set screws 32. If due to inaccuracy in manufacture the socket shell is not in the proper position it may be given some adjustment up or down the bar 18 by first loosening the set screws and after adjustment may be secured in the proper position by resetting the screws a ainst the bar. It will be apparent from Figs. 2 to 6 that as the bar 18 is located to one side of the pipe terminal and the lamp socket is secured to the upper end of the bar in alignment with this terminal, there is plenty of room for leading the conductors 11 from the pipe terminal or conduit to the binding screws 23 and 27, and the bar does not interfere with them in any way.

In Fig. 5, I have shown the same bar and mounting used with a switch socket. The switch mechanism is of any desired construction and is mounted in the insulating body 38. This mechanism is not illustrated as it forms no part of my invention. It may be operated by the usual pendant'39 on the usual pull chain 40. In mounting the switch the bar 18 may be broken off to allow for the greater length required for the switch construction over that required by the switchless socket.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a candle socket, an upright rectangular bar scored transversely at different spaced points to reduce its cross sectional area and form break oif points, means for securing the lower end of the bar to a pipe terminal, a lamp socket, a support for the lamp socket arranged to embrace one side and the edges of said bar, and set screws in the sides of said support arranged to engage the bar to secure the support thereto.

2. In a candle socket, an upright bar scored transversely at different spaced points to reduce its cross sectional area and provide break 011' points, a mounting for the bar at its lower end arranged to be secured to a pipe terminal and secured to the bar laterally of this pipe to support it out of align ment with the pipe, a lamp socket, a support for the lamp socket having a downwardly extending portion substantially U-shaped in cross section to embrace the bar and arranged to hold'the socket in alignment with the pipe, and set screws carried by the sides if said portion to secure the support to the 3. In a candle socket, a member arranged for threaded connection to a pipe terminal and having a portion extending over the end of the pipe, a set screw carried by said portion arranged to engage the end of the pipe,

'an upright bar secured to said member, a

lamp socket, and means for securing the lamp socket to the bar for longitudinal adjustment thereon.

4. In a candle socket, an upright bar scored transversely at different spaced points to reduce its cross sectional area and provide break 0H points, a mounting for the bar at its lower end arranged to be secured to a pipe terminal, a lamp socket, a support for the socket having a downwardly extending portion to embrace the bar and provided with opposed side portions on opposite sides of thebar, and set screws in said side portions having tapered ends to seat in thescores inthe bar to secure the socket thereto.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

HARVEY HUBBELL. 

